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Mountain Smith APEX 100 Pack Review

WTA Team
|  
  • WTA Team

Mountain Smith APEX 100, Back Pack Comparison
Editor: Cory McLaughlin, iReviewGear

From Mountain Smith:

The Apex 100 is designed for over sized loads and ambitious outdoor adventures. The largest pack in our All Terrain series is built with separate sleeping bag compartment, front panel pocket/pass through window, side stash pockets, and tool mounts to keep your gear organized and accessible. With up to 96L (extended volume) of carrying capacity, this multi-day expedition pack can handle anything you throw at it. The innovative ICS Cup (Illiac Crest Shelf) hip belt transfers and locks the pack load onto the hips, the Delta Wing Compression system pull the load into the lumbar region and focuses on the Lumbar Control Point pad on the lower back panel to fully secure the pack load against the user’s major weight bearing point, the lumbar/sacrum region. All this while the Anvil Airway back panel keeps you cool on the longest trail day.

Just the Facts:

No holds barred, the Apex 100 backpacking pack is the largest and most feature-rich offering in the Mountainsmith line. Designed from the waist belt up, with a focus on ergonomics, the Apex backpacking bag is a joy to wear while hiking. Emphasizing durability, this pack is built with CORDURA® fabric and a heavy duty yet lightweight aluminum suspension.

This gargantuan pack is ideal for hunters carrying meat home or those who are carrying more than their own gear. Intuitive features make this a smart and convenient backpacking solution; including a hydration sleeve and port, side-canted water bottle pocket, lower sleeping pad access compartment, central U-shaped access zipper, external mesh stash pocket, smart phone-sized waist belt pocket, generous lash points for tools, ridged EVA back panel padding, pocket pass-through compressions straps , adjustable torso suspension, an easy forward pull waist belt, and a removable top lid for short trips from camp. To bring you peace of mind for your backcountry investment, Mountainsmith offers a lifetime warranty on their products. If you are looking for a durable pack for hauling very large loads, this is the pack for you.

Features:

• TuningFork™ waistbelt framesheet for form fitting over iliac crest hip bone
• Forward pull waistbelt with V adjustment webbing
• Front panel stretch mesh pocket with daisy chain attachment loops
• PE Framesheet with X configuration AL Stays and horizontal stabilizer bar
• Anvil Airway ridged EVA backpanel padding
• Smartphone compatible waistbelt pockets (Fits up to iphone 6+ or Galaxy S6)
• Separatesleeping bag compartment with internal divider

Details:

• Bar tack reinforcements
• YKK® Zippers
• 3M™ Reflective Cord

Materials:

• 305d Multi-Rip Cordura®HP
• 610d Cordura® HP
• 210d Nylon Embossed Liner
• Twin T6 0.75″ Aluminum Stays

Dimensions:

• 31″ x 11.75″ x 9″ / 78.7 x 29.8 x 22.8 cm (H x W x D)
• Waist belt width: 1.5″
• Waist belt circumference: 28″ – 48″

Volume:

• 5800 cubic inches / 95 L
• 6400 cubic inches / 105 L (Ext)

Capacity:

• Up to 70 lbs

Weight:
• 6 lbs / 2.7 kg

My Story:

Sometimes you just need to haul everything and the kitchen sink. In a time where ultralight backpacking is all the rage the APEX 100 must feel a little lonely. This pack is not in that popular ultralight category not by a long shot. That does not mean that it doesn’t have its place in the world. There are many places that a person may want to travel that UL setups are not practical and often times they are unrealistic. Extreme winter packing is a great example.

Sure you can go out and spend your life savings on all the newest light weight cold weather gear. You can mortgage your home to get yourself a pair of pants and a coat. You can sell your gold bar collection to buy some rain gear. There is plenty of ways to put less weight into your pack. What if you are on a budget? What if you are one of those think of everything type packers? What if you just need room for all your equipment? Well, fear not my friends. Mountain Smith gives you the APEX 100 and it’s a pretty big deal. Literally.

Cost

The APEX 100 comes at a very reasonable price point of $209.95. This is a great price for a pack that can do so much. The pack has 4882 CI without being extended. You can add nearly another 1000 CI of storage when the pack is fully extended. The main compartment has some really great features like a separate sleeping bag compartment in the bottom that can be accessed by an outside zipper. The side pockets on this thing are great as well. There are two water bottle pockets on both sides and two storage compartments slightly above those. There is a stretch pocket that sits on the back of the pack that is great for wet garments or rain fly. The lid has a pocket that is great for items that need to be readily available.

Mountain Smith Apex 100 Pack

Access

Accessing the pack is a breeze as there are multiple entry points on this pack. The top of the pack is secured by a pull string closure that sits under the lid. This is the main access to the pack. Under the stretch pocket there is a zippered entry that would allow for access without having to open the top of the pack. The third point of entry is at the bottom of the pack. The sleeping bag compartment also allows for access to items that may be stored in the bottom of the pack.

Compression straps and webbing loops help to make sure this pack stays tight and secure. The suspension is highly adjustable and very comfortable. I found that this pack was a little large for my frame 5’ 9’’ but that is nothing against the pack itself. The waist belt is comfortable and the shoulder straps adjust nicely. Load leveling straps help to make sure the weight rides where it is intended. The lumbar and back padding are designed to allow for maximum cooling by allowing airflow.

How I tested it

I used this pack for a backcountry hunt in Idaho. I was able to carry all the gear I need for the cold November hunt and had plenty of room to add some boned out meat if necessary. This pack is better suited for normal backpacking but I needed to get out and test it.

Mountain Smith Apex 100 Pack

The Mountain Smith APEX 100 is a great pack loaded with features. If you are a large framed person or just a guy who likes to take everything you can think of, then this is the pack for you. I believe it to be best suited for backpacking needs but could become a hunting pack in a pinch. I had about 50 pounds in the pack on my trip and it rode very well. I was not able to get a perfect fit as my torso is just a little short for this pack.

What can be done better?

I do not think this is a good pack for back country hunting as it lacks the ability to hold meat away from your other items. It could do the job but it would be messy. This is a HUGE backpack that would be great for just that, backpacking. I think that if use for that use this will be a great companion for many trips to come. The material and construction are on par with other backpack manufactures. If you need space I would seriously look into the pack

 

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New Zealand: A Spring Paradise

New Zealand: A Spring Paradise

The end of winter in the Northern Hemisphere gives me the itch to travel. I often visit Uganda to chase buffalo, before coming home for Spring turkey season. But this year, I switched it up. My wife, Alka, and I headed south to New Zealand for the last few days of February. We hosted two groups of hunters at two of WTA’s top outfitters and we all enjoyed a wonderful trip.

New Zealand offers endless opportunities for non-hunting companions while delivering a world-class hunting experience. Both lodges where we stayed had dedicated hosts who organized daily activities for the non-hunting guests. Shopping, visiting wineries, sightseeing in Mount Cook, jet boating, and many other activities filled the schedule. Once our hunts wrapped up, the guys joined the ladies on several of these excursions. I especially enjoyed spending a day exploring Mount Cook and an afternoon on the jet boat.

After flying to New Zealand and clearing customs, we caught a short flight to Queenstown. Queenstown is beautiful, situated on a lakeshore with steep mountains dropping straight to the water, making for postcard views. The local food scene is excellent. Alka and I tried multiple restaurants, checked out local shops, and rode the skylift to the top of the mountain. It was nice to have a day or two to acclimate to the 13-hour time difference.

We went to our first lodge, got settled in, visited the rifle range, and then had an incredible dinner.

Alka isn’t really a hunter. She has taken a few animals, and somehow I talked her into hunting a red stag. We got out at daylight with our excellent guide, Victor, when the stags were roaring. We looked at a couple of groups and crept over a ridge to glass into a creek bottom. We found stags roaring, fighting, feeding, and moving all over.

We finally decided on a beautiful red stag with a tank of a body, heavy mass, great crowns. And you could tell he was old. He was also dominant. The others gave way whenever he came near.

After a couple of hours, our stag bedded with another away from the others, and we decided to make a move. Victor expertly maneuvered us down into the thick creek bottom with the wind in our faces. Eventually, we moved within 100 yards of where we thought the stags were. After a while, the other stag stood up and repositioned. When he bedded again, Victor wanted to shift for a better angle. We ended up at 65 yards and could see our stag’s antler tips.

We waited 3 hours for the big guy to get up. We roared, threw rocks, raked brush, but he was tucked in and didn’t budge. Finally, in the early afternoon, Victor raked some brush, roared loudly, and the stag stood. Alka quickly got on the .30-06 and with a couple of shots an inch apart to the shoulder, the big stag dropped. Celebration time!

Alka got a super experience with lots of stag action, a great stalk in close, and then the nerve-racking wait for the 525″ stag to stand up and offer a shot.

Over the next few days, our group of hunters took some incredible stags and fallow deer. Toward the end, a few of us wanted to hunt tahr in the southern Alps.

I cannot describe how beautiful and rugged those mountains are, and seeing them from a helicopter is an experience not to be missed. My hunting partner and I both scored on nice bull tahr the morning we went out, and then the chopper pilot took the ladies up for a quick ride to show them the beauty and majesty of the southern Alps. It was a morning none of us will ever forget.

Learn More about this Hunt

Alka and I then packed up and transferred to our next lodge, where we met four other couples, including our good friends Russell and Cindy. Russell and I were going to hunt together, as we have all over the globe, and again, the ladies had a full palette of fun excursions planned.

During the first afternoon, we saw a number of great stags and some incredible fallow. What really excited me was seeing and hearing bugling elk. We returned for a 5-star meal (Be ready to gain weight in New Zealand!) and prepared for the next day. 

Just after daylight, we were on stags and moving around the hills and canyons, glassing and enjoying the views and the number of animals. One of the hardest parts of hunting there is choosing the stag you want to pursue. There are so many, and they are all so different, it’s sensory overload. There are wide, heavy, drop tines, typical frames, and every other antler configuration imaginable.

While glassing some stags in a wallow across a canyon, I spotted a big bull elk up on a ridge. He was so regal standing on the skyline, I kept coming back to him with my binos. I must have talked about him non-stop, because my outfitter and guide Shaun finally said, “We can go after him if you want, but he is about a mile away, and it’s all uphill.” I told Shaun I was ready to go if he was, so off we went, trekking up the mountain.

When we got to the top, we couldn’t find the bull. Huge rock formations blocked us from seeing a number of areas, so we slowly moved from rock to rock, carefully glassing, until we found the big bull on the third set of rocks.

I quickly set up and Shaun ranged the bull at a bit under 300 yards, moving away. Shaun has suppressed Gunwerks rifles available for his clients to use. I knew with that setup, the shot should be easy if the bull presented a good angle.

After watching him for a few minutes, the bull swung around, giving me a quartering away shot, and I tucked one in behind the shoulder. The big guy was done. When we got to him, he was way bigger than I thought, with 54″ beams and a huge frame, the 7×7 stretched the tape to 397″. I was ecstatic!

That afternoon, I went along with Russell on an exciting stag hunt where we got in on two great bulls. After a lot of maneuvering, they stepped out of a bedding area at 70 yards, and Russell hammered a beautiful stag with great crowns and kicker tines off both sides. Getting in close on these huge stags is an absolute blast.

The other guys in camp were laying down some great animals as well. On our second-to-last day, we all decided to go with the ladies for a jet boat ride up a glacial river, a short hike, and then a winery stop for apps and drinks. It was a fantastic day of seeing incredible scenery and relaxing with old and new friends.

On our last morning, Russell decided to find a good elk. An hour or so later, we found a big bull working a wallow. Russell and his guide made a stalk, Russ got on the sticks, and the next thing Shaun and I saw through our binos was the big heavy bull tipping over. What a great way to end our superb hunt!

We all headed back to Queenstown in the afternoon, had a great dinner at the Botswana Butchery restaurant, and then it was one sleep and a long flight home.

…
Gunwerks Long Range University | WTA Team Experience

Gunwerks Long Range University | WTA Team Experience

There’s a major difference between simply shooting a rifle and building a repeatable process that works under pressure in real hunting situations.

That was the biggest takeaway when the Worldwide Trophy Adventures team attended the Gunwerks Long Range University L1 and L2 courses in Cody, Wyoming. What started as an opportunity to sharpen our shooting skills quickly became something much bigger: a deep dive into confidence, communication, ethics, and the complete shooting system.

At WTA, we spend our lives helping hunters prepare for meaningful hunts around the world. We talk constantly about tags, gear, outfitters, strategy, and opportunity. But eventually, every hunt comes down to a single moment behind the rifle. That’s where Long Range University changes the conversation.

More than Just “Long Range Shooting”

A lot of hunters hear “long range shooting” and immediately think about distance. The course focused far more on consistency, process, and decision making than simply stretching the range.

The Gunwerks instructors repeatedly emphasized that successful shooting is about understanding the entire system:

  • Rifle
  • Optics
  • Ballistics
  • Environment
  • Wind
  • Shooter fundamentals
  • Mental process

That holistic approach was eye-opening, even for experienced hunters and shooters.

Several members of the WTA team came into the class with years of hunting experience and a solid understanding of rifles and optics. But one theme surfaced almost immediately: many of us had developed bad habits over time, simply because we’d never received formal instruction.
By lunchtime on the first day, most of us were already identifying flaws in our setup, body position, and shot process.

Honestly, that was one of the best parts of the experience.

Building Confidence through Process

Confidence is one of the most important elements in hunting. When doubt creeps into your mind during a critical moment, things tend to unravel quickly. Long Range University focuses heavily on eliminating uncertainty by building a repeatable process.

The course blended classroom instruction with live-fire range sessions, translating concepts immediately into practical applications.

Topics included:

  • Rifle setup and maintenance
  • Zeroing procedures
  • Ballistic profiles
  • Wind reading
  • Spotter/shooter communication
  • Prone shooting fundamentals
  • Shooting from improvised positions
  • Tripod and support techniques
  • Real-world hunting scenarios
  • Ethical shot evaluation

One of the most valuable lessons was learning to manage instability instead of fearing it. In the field, hunting shots rarely happen from a perfect, benchrest position. Hunters must adapt to terrain, weather, awkward angles, and time pressure.

The instructors did an exceptional job of simplifying complex concepts into practical, understandable instructions. Nothing felt overly tactical or intimidating. The focus remained on building ethical, capable hunters.

Real…
Arizona’s Deer/Sheep Deadline: That’s a Wrap on the Draw Season!

Arizona’s Deer/Sheep Deadline: That’s a Wrap on the Draw Season!

The Arizona deer and sheep deadline on June 2 marks the end of another application season. There are a few minor draws and point-only periods coming up, but the major deadlines have passed and the draw results have been posted. I hope this is your year to draw an awesome tag! If not, you’ve built another valuable bonus point for your future. That’s the name of the game!

If you successfully drew a tag, you received a call from your dedicated WTA TAGS consultant informing you of your good fortune. If you drew a tag and haven’t booked with an outfitter, this needs immediate attention. WTA’s owner Mark Peterson said it best: “After finally drawing a great tag…don’t screw it up at the end…hire a reputable outfitter!”

Arizona Deadlines

Arizona has a staggered deadline for its limited-entry big game tags. June 2 marks the deadline to apply for deer and sheep tags. For deer, we’re talking about mule deer and coues deer. And for sheep, desert bighorn and Rocky Mountain bighorn are both available.

Mule Deer vs. Coues Deer

Applicants in Arizona are restricted to one deer application. The state considers two choices on the application. You can utilize two mule deer choices, or two coues deer choices, or one choice for each. For example, first choice mule deer, second choice coues deer.

Consider this quick, low-level consultation when deciding how to apply for deer in Arizona. Arizona boasts the best mule deer hunting in North America. It is truly the land of 200″. However, these deer reside in a handful of units with VERY limited non-resident tags. This is a tag you may never draw in your lifetime.

Arizona also boasts the best coues deer hunting in the West. Early hunts in October and November can easily be drawn with 0–3 bonus points and we offer highly successful adventures with our TAGS-endorsed outfitters. The more sought-after late coues hunts in December are more difficult to draw, but the tag can be drawn within 8 years, hopefully sooner.

Desert Bighorn vs. Rocky…

Find the outdoor adventure of a lifetime.

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